CES 2008: Xbox 360 to Dominate in '08?

January 6, 2008 - President of Entertainment & Devices Division Robbie Bach offered some encouragement to Xbox fanboys distraught over Nintendo's newfound dominance in hardware sales. Despite being surpassed by Wii in console sales in '07, Xbox 360 managed to sell more software. In fact, Microsoft raked in $3.5 billion in the U.S. through November of last year with the 360. According to Bach, that is a billion dollars more than the Wii pulled in.

Bach said he expects Microsoft's mega-machine to enjoy "the biggest year ever videogame history" in 2008. This could well be true. Xbox Live has now tallied more than 10 million subscribers and did so six months faster than Microsoft expected. The unexpected spike in subscribers is what led to Xbox Live connectivity issues through the holidays.

Sadly, no major announcements were made at during the keynote address.

With the incredible success of the Xbox 360 this generation and the market leading position it has cut out it is in a great position to capitalize on its situation and move forward as the premier console this generation. With strong demand for Xbox 360 hardware and software continuing into 2008 the Xbox 360 has everything it needs to continue to strengthen its position and expand into new demographics and audiences this year, especially with all the AAA titles that are coming out this year for the Xbox 360.

Award winning marketing genius/guru Jeff Bell (Corporate VP for Global Marketing, Interactive Entertainment Business, E&D division) put it best when he said that "we wouldn't trade places with anyone" and he's absolutely right, the Xbox 360 is in a enviably strong position right now. But it must make the right decisions to move forward and this is a crucial time for the Xbox 360s future. With the high caliber of diverse and creative talent heading up the Xbox team these days I have no doubt that the success of the Xbox 360 will continue to grow even stronger

Its hard to argue with that. If Xbox can finish this year at least 2,000,000 ahead of the PS3 it may break 40,000,000 lifetime.

Even still my friend, any advantages the Xbox360 may have gained in the previous year will be eroded by a superior PS3 line-up with stems across multiple genres. Flooding the market with shooters doesn't replace pinpoint appeal (or PPA) with AAA titles that attract more than one audience. Very soon the PS3 will be the only sensible partner for all HDTV's. With HD movie playback, SD movie upconversion, an array of games, and firmware that is constantly upgraded to stay up to date with ever changing standards, the PS3 will attain then maintain a leg up on the Xbox360 until the next generating begins.

I'm actually overwhelmed right now. I have too many good games to play that i've actually started several games at the same time, and can't figure which one i want to complete first. I have Bioshock, The Orange Box, and Naruto to finish beating. Then I bought the Collectors Edition of Mass Effect, and I dare not put it in because I wouldn't have any time to play that with the other games. And I still haven't played Assassin's Creed and Call of Duty 4. Plus when i turn my 360 on, I get a whole lot of Halo 3 invites. That makes it impossible to play my games. And great arcade games keep coming out, I want Metal Slug 3 and the new Street Fighter II HD game.

Now is a great time to be a gamer. Oh and I won't even start talking about the great games that are to be released this year.

Game on people, game on.....!

@Jandre.... You tell Zhuk that as long as you don't bash the PS3, in which he didn't, but then (even though you are entitled to your opinion) you go on and on about the PS3 and its "superior lineup", that's how you get the Fanboys in an uproar, and that's what we don't need. We don't need PS3 or 360 fanboys coming in here with their measuring sticks and whose 2008 lineup is better.

I don't know what the disagrees are for, check my Gamertag, i have all the games i stated except Assassin's Creed and Call of Duty 4.

Phantom disagreeing is very immature.

@Azures:below.... what was so wrong with what he said. He expressed his opinion about the story, and in a very reasonable manner. He didn't flame on about or put down the competition. He gave a reasonable observation of the 360's success. He didn't even use extremely exaggerated terminologies.

What a joke. Robbie Bach says it so it must be true. The PS3 will rule 2008. I just say way too many huge PS3 games coming out this year. What does the 360 have this year? So far I don't see anything big.

I have both consoles. I have about 10 games I know I will buy on the PS3 this year. So far I only have Gears of War 2 that I will buy on the 360, if it comes out this year. This is however my most wanted title closely followed by LBP and KZ2.

the ps3 has 3 games coming out this year that MIGHT be good mgs4/lbp/gt5 while the 360 has games we have seen gameplay for and from welll known devs too human/fable2/warhound/ng2/gear s of war 2/alan wake/ so yess the ps3 will have another diamll year in 2008 as most of their exclsuive are from no name devs yakauz 3 hahaha whata joke of a game white knight sotry hahaha looks like garbage all ps3 devs have no history in making games u will see this at the end of this year games liek bioshock/mass effect/halo 3 cant be made on the ps3 as it has to many complicated programming that the ps3 cant handle.

Only two of those exclusives are going to be big(Ninja Gaiden and gears). You only mentioned 3 PS3 exclusives. You fail.

Sony has the biggest line up this year. And you know it. Your in denial. Please save your annoying comments for the xbox 720 vs. PS4 war. The Xbox 360 is dead this year, if not next year for sure. Along with HD DVD.

You say the PS3 cant handle Halo?...LMAO that one really made me laugh we can port Halo3 onto our system with our eyes closed but that would just be a waste of time since the only thing different between all the Halo's are just a little tweak to the graphice, the storyline is just getting worse and worse so why would we even want that crappy game...Now i wanna see the xbox even try to attempt to begin making KZ2, lmao the machine would just blow up right in there faces, now thats a game the xbox cant handle

This isn't about 2007. That was last year. It's about this year, 2008. And 2008 is the Year of the PS3. No other console will be able to match what the PS3 has coming out this year. Don't expect Halo 4 or any other big 360 game to come out. This is the second year of the PS3. Last year was the 360's second year. This is the year the PS3 will start to show what it really can do and when it does gamers will line up to buy a PS3.

360 has many great console exclusives coming in 2008, just because your too much of an ignorant fanboy to notice does not mean they do not exist:

Alan wake splinter cell - conviction Halo wars lost odyssey fable 2 world in conflict (voted best pc strategy game 2007) Ninja Gaiden Too Human gears of war 2 Age of Conan and Huxley (the most anticipated mmorpgs since wow)

Now I'd like to see you list off 10 actual good exclusives that have an **actual** release date confirmed for 2008 on the ps3.. I doubt you can.. not to mention that we can download HD movies directly from xbox live market place for 4 bucks... and chat with friends/play games while we do it..

hardly any exclusives worth buying, HD-DVD is losing the war and so more people will buy the PS3. not just for Blu-ray, but for MGS4, Killzone 2, LBP, White Knight Chronicles, Yakuza 3, Gran Turismo 5, Heavy Rain, Infamous, Tekken 6, etc.

The biggest franchises in the world belong to the PlayStation brand and Sony is already beginning to dominate 08. Actions speak louder than words, and that is exactly what Sony is doing right now with Warner/New Line Cinema going Blu-ray exclusive, the format war is over.

i mean last year they had Halo 3. this year they have nothing as big, and that's most of you people don't understand. 360 will be in third by the end of this year. quote me on that. there's nothing exciting going on for it lately.

seriously there was too many games on 2007. in 2008 there will be more great exclusives including ALAN WAKE and A.P.B.(made by the studio that made the awesome CRACKDOWN). microsoft also are keeping a tight lip on exclusives, so when the time is right BAMM!!!! everyone knows what sony ps3 is getting this year, but microsoft are playing it SHOCK AND AWE this time. i predict at e3 , they will release the bomb , or about the time metal gear gets released. this year will be very interesting.

p.s. regarding the ps3 controller , i wanted the boomerang controller more than the six axis just because it was something new and different from the dated ps1 controller.

MS wants market dominance, and this time round it has seen the Wii come in a steal its thunder. MS sees a new market that the Wii has created, and I'll bet that they'll want to take a slice of that by creating more family orientated games. Nothing wrong with that, but it will be taking resources away from the more hardcore style games that the older crowd what to play.

with what games i ask? halo wars? i dont think so and the rest are on pc anyway so most ps3 gamers aren't missing out on much

the way i see it the xbox has only three exclusives worth playing and those are too human, ninja gaiden 2 and fable 2 but the rest look generic and will look like big rigs in comparison to mgs4, haze, killzone 2, LBP, fabula nova crystallis, SOCOM, white knight story, yakuza 3 and more

As you know they will continue to bring out Triple A titles on DVD which already has 10+ games with 90% averages. As well as, offering content on XBL, from BD supporters.[that was a shocker]

Whether DD will take off or not, we all know there is money to be made, looking at XBL's content sale performance, so why not? This is Business, and MS is all about Business.

Some of MS 2007 highlights

1.Exceptional software/Accessory sales 2.Very Stable Hardware sales 3.Xbox Live games,Videos, Demos galore 4.Had the top grossing Game, with plenty Game of The year contenders.

Some blemishes year ending 07

1.Red Ring Of Death syndrone, really cut into the sales. 2.XBL fiasco over the X-mas weekend [Hey I had to put it in there but we all know it was positive and negative effect of 10 million+ users]

So fix them Blemishes for 2008, Offer new games and content on Live, New Ip's Games, RROD "be gone", Double your servers, and just let the Gamers decide how the console will do. Cut the price by $100, we know Ms will follow the leader, when it comes to price cuts.

I don't see why the 360 can't have another good year building on what it did in 07. The competition is gonna do what they have to do, as well.

And now a Statment from Bill Gates " No more Shining Shoes, none of that sh^t".

But seriously, name on advantage the Xbox360 will have against the PS3? Once in-game XMB is released, and the Home/Playstation store is updated whats left?

Other than Halo 3, the Xbox has nothing in the same league as Final Fantasy, GT5, and MGS4. You all know this. Its not just sales, its quality. Those developers are point on. The Xbox360 is good, and will do twice as well as the original. But the PS3, coming off the PS2, with the same titles and near same price wont lose. It's why the PS3 already outsells the Xbox360 WW. it was never gunna happen

The PS3 will do well, but i don't think that will slow down the 360. I mean let's talk multi-plat. GTA 4 is coming, now if you look at software sales for Call of Duty 4 on both consoles, the 360 version outrightly destroyed the PS3 version. Now take in account that you can get a 360 for less than you would get a PS3, and the 360 has a track record for better multi-plat ports, and that (you have to admit it) many PS3 owners bought their PS3's mainly for Blu Ray, then the 360 has a very good shot at standing its ground. And it does have a staple of great releases slated to come out with possibly Gears 2 being a major console seller. Then we have IP TV in the works and XBox Live can only get better.

I see a positive outcome for the 360. And in no way am i limiting the potential of the PS3, i'm just saying that the 360 isn't just going to stand there and do nothing.

@below..... very true, the larger install base does aid, but with that same mindset, the install base is not going to magically stop or dry up. It's going to continue to grow and let's not forget the bonus content, that will help also. All i'm saying is that the 360 can still have a great year, i'm not putting down the PS3 or the Wii, but i'm just saying that it's still capable of another stellar year.

@below...... O.K. but let's also take into account prices, the 360's are starting to come with the new chipset, so let's say "Hypothetically" they do a price cut with the release of GTA 4. I mean, and that's just my own hypothesis, there is many things M$ can do to stay competitive in the game. Not only that, they can make another price cut move, but with the PS3 i don't think they are in the same position to make that move. And as we all know, these consoles are costing these companies a bundle, especially the PS3, so they need the Software sales, understand what i'm saying. Blu Ray is helping Sony alot, but it can't carry them....

Of course the Xbox360 version would outsell the PS3 version. 1. The Xbox360 has about 2x as many consoles WW. 2. Its a shooter game.

I think the attach rate for the 360 was about 16% while the PS3 was more like 14%. However, looking at Assassins Creed, those numbers are swapped. The PS3's attach rate is higher for Assassins Creed than was the 360's. But as far as moving hardware, the PS3 did better this Christmas. Blu-ray is just an extra perk for PS3 owners, not a reason to buy a PS3

So while you may be celebrating selling more software, its only due to having a larger install base.

The Xbox may continue to sell well, but it wont sell as many consoles as the PS3. The PS3 is just in a different league. A good year for the 360 is a horrble year for the PS3. 15million a year is easy for a Playstation console with its AAA titles and the right pricing. It will have both of those this year, along with Blu-Ray to keep it afloat in the downtime between now and summer. Its not that the Xbox360 will do bad, but the PS3's good and the Xbox's good are vastly different.

I have to completely disagree with you I did not buy a ps3 for blu-ray mostly and I think most ps3 users would agree. Did you buy the 360 for xbox live only? no its just a extra bonus. You know some of us might just want to play final fantasy 13, metal gear solid, and tekken. Just admit it ps3 is going to have a comeback year.

@above..... where did i say the PS3 wasn't going to do well. I think i did say that the PS3 will do well, i just stated that, I believe that the 360 can continue it's success with game sales being the primary reason. I've never said the PS3 would not do well.

It's nice and all that you disagree and are able to articulate your reason for disagreeing (i despise Phantom disagreeings'), but don't try to put words in my mouth.

And i have friends at my job that primarily use their PS3 for it's Blu Ray capabilities. So it's not like it's uncommon. Maybe my friends are waiting for the 08' games, maybe their not, but that's what they have told me they have been using their PS3's for. I made a generalized statement, no need to personalize it.

@below..... actually that comment was directed towards Jandre02, because he and i were having a discussion, but i can understand the misinterpretation. I have a lot of friends with 360's if you have one you can check my friend list, those are my friends i actually see and chill with except about 5 of them. But the rest are my friends and some my co-workers.

I don't have my co-workers PSN gamertags because i have yet to buy a PS3, but i do plan on getting one when they come bundled with the DualShock 3 (probably in November), mostly because of Uncharted, hopefully God of War 3, and maybe a Kingdom Hearts. There is no reason for me to come on here and lie, Actually my co-worker who is an RN (i work at a psychiatric hospital) just started playing his PS3 online. I told him how to do it since the PS3 has built in Wi-Fi and a free online service, and now he is playing Call of Duty 4. But when he bought his PS3 it was primarily for Blu Ray since at the time it was the least expensive one and you got the most bang for your buck from it. He actually was an Original XBox person, but since he had the PS3 and was mostly interested in the multi-plat games decided to buy some games for it because it was cheaper than buying a 360 to play the same available games.

I hope the PS3 has continued success and the Wii, because competition makes a lot of things better and it drives down prices. It also breeds variety and pushes people to show their creative potential. So in no way do i want the PS3 to fail, it's just that i have confidence in M$ and 360 to do well. That's all....

I really wasn't disagreeing with that, just what you said about ps3 users needing to admit we mostly got a ps3 for blu-ray. I hate the all my friends argument. All of my friends have ps3s and none of 360, so I guess 360 isn't selling well. lol. I was really doubtful of blu-ray and thats why I only bought one blu-ray movie (300), but now its looking like blu-ray is going to win, so I'm going to start to buy more blu-ray movies. I just have a good paying job so i could afford to buy a ps3, now with it being cheaper more people are buying it. 1.2 mil since black friday, and I think some people are just waiting for MGS and final fantasy. They figure thats what I really want, i will wait till they come out and besides it will be cheaper by then. Not saying some people don't buy ps3 for the blu-ray mostly, but most ps3 owners are just like 360 owners, want to play good games.

You have to cut the guy some slack - he's a product manager and of course he's going to come out and state how well his machine will do.

Why shouldn't he? 360 had an excellent year in 07 with some of the best titles ever. I'll agree that the line up this year is prehaps not as strong, but that doesn't mean we won't see some exceptional 360 titles and I expect sales will remain strong. If theres any 'trouble' with this vision, its that the main competiton has significantly rampped up its game and will undoubtedly have a brilliant year too, but MS have evey right to be optomistic for the coming year - especially in the states where they continue to hold the no 2 spot.

Nope... the 360 will see def do good. Wii will win still for now... and the 360 will win in Software sales(maybe not have the best selling game(s)...but altogether the best sales.... and I will bet anything the PS3 outsells the 360 is hardware. Even if the 360 wins the first couple of months(which it probally won't) but Microsft is very much getting what they want... the 360 is gonna do better than the origianl Xbox... I don'y see it breaking even 50 million though... sales are gonna slow. Watch and see. Maybe not in 2008... but the Playstation is coming. It can't outsell a Playstation with games.

You are just looking for anything to say. PS3 is gonna kick the 360's arse in 2008... and even worse in 2009. It has really good games coming out from now on...get ready

no one has a clue about how much influence the warner blu-ray choise will influence the consumers, also its hard to point in wich direction the market will expand. xbox360 could gain or lose market share, so could the ps3. rigth now m$ ligg its wounds from the hd dvd defeat.

Yet again, with blu-ray as a winner (I assume?) consumers would migth choose the ps3 over the xbox360.

but yet again;

"the consumers is the real winners - fan boys are the big troll under the bridge for the enterprises"

you tell me how any console can survive that(i literally thought they were gone, how could you get that wrong , cheap parts and cutting corners with hardware), but guess what , to my amazement the 360 recovered, what a surprise. now that shows you how strong the popularity of the console is. to this date even with the red rings problem, it still outsold ps3, now that is some bad news for ps3. and now with the new falcon model(i got one myself, less than half the heat comes out from the back and the console is all cold when you feel the top) , red rings is behind them now. another massive plus is the attach rate is so high on the 360 and only elevating every month. Look how bad uncharted sold on the ps3(that is a major problem), if it were released on the 360 , i think it would easily have hit a couple million in a couple months. now if metal gear doesnt sell, then it is nothing but a blu-ray player, and that aint good news for sony. new i.p. sell on the 360(e.g.bio shock,mass effect ,crackdown, etc... ) , but not so much on the ps3(e.g. uncharted , lair, heavenly sword). we know sequels will sell , but if new i.p. doesnt, then life could be grim for the ps3.

The PS2 survived it. Quality of games is what keeps a console breathing. No is taking from the 360 the fact that it has some great games. However, what does the future hold? It doesn't look very damn bright, from a games perspective. Has Uncharted stopped selling? Has R&C? Because games don't pull Halo 3 or Mass Effect numbers in 2 months, doesn't mean they have failed.

Im not saying that the 360 wont be sucessful in 08, but I dont think that it is strong enough to keep up with the Wii and PS3. The Wii has games like Brawl and Mario Kart coming out, along with all the 'casual' games that will keep it afloat. The PS3 has a bucketload of top titles coming out, such as LittleBigPlanet, MGS4, GT5, Killzone 2, Tekken 6, White Knight Story just to name a few, as well as the Home service. The 360 does have some quality titles coming, such as Fable 2 and Too Human, but some other like Halo Wars and Ninja Gaiden 2 are niche games and wont help carry the 360. Microsoft better hope that Epic can finish Gears 2 before the end of 08, or else the 360 could be left behind.

WTH? LBP isn't out yet so you can't say its a niche game. the metal gear solid series has always sold several million. GT is the best selling racing game series of all time, White knight story is new IP, killzone 2 has tons of hype and buzz and tekken series is the best selling fighting series since ps1. So again WTH??

We will just have to keep buying and keep playing and see who comes out on top. I'm an Xbot, we came in 2nd last round and I'll gladly take 2nd in hardware if we keep that #1 in game software. After all I bought my 360 to play games 1st and everything else is just added perks. The 360 has a "huge" lead in games that would take the entire year for Sony and Nintendo to catch up and thats only if MS were to suddenly "stop" selling games and 360s. LOL it's not likly with the 360 breaking game sales records and attach rates. There is also a obvious high demand for Live because it's user base continues to grow for a pay service.

One thing I know for sure is MS has better not screw the hardware up again because I don't think they could save it's a$$ again. You Sony fans need to prey too because if the PS3 don't start selling games real quick you could see devs defecting like the movie studios did with HD DVD. They wan't their money and your not giving it to them, better start opening your wallets and stop buying movies and get that copy of Haze instead.

They will not dominate but they will have a good year. The large majority of people think that there are no games for 360 in 2008 because Microsoft officially has not revealed anything big for this year. Here is a list of xbox 360 games for 2008. some small mistakes are present. http://labwarrior.gametrail...

Social Gaming space with titles like Scene It and XBLA titles. I expect there are *many* unannounced 2008 Social Games, think Board Games (classics like monopoly, risk & axis & allies), trivia games -- there are *many* games coming for those Big Button Controllers... Scene It is just the first.

More Community services, features to foster communication and

Music (via the Zune Device, Zune Social, Zune Music Subscription and Zune Music Sales) will be coming to Xbox 360 and / or integrated via Media Extender...

PS3 is about to skyrocket in Japan. 360 won't compensate from that unless they buy half of the japanese developers. Furthermore, next year PS3 will outsell 360 in Europe (see the trends). 360's only hope is America, which is not even half of the market, and it's not like PS3 is lost there. People are waiting on the fence for PS3, and still buying PS2.

There is no chance that Microsoft will "dominate". Maybe they'll fight and even win by a small margin, but just maybe, and hardly dominate, not to mention conquer. The Wii is conquering. The PS3 struggled, but it is on its way to fighting and perhaps winning back some lost ground.

Something is certain though; 2008 is Sony's to win, Nintendo's to lose, and Microsoft's to keep a stable and profitable venture.

They refuse to reveal sales of their 360 console, and instead only release shipment figures of the system to date rather than show many were sold strictly in 2007.

And then when it comes to Xbox Live, not only do they refuse to show how many Live subscribers are on Silver (free, no online multiplayer) accounts in comparison to Gold (annual fee) accounts, they also refuse to disclose how many Live users are Xbox vs. Xbox 360 owners.

I lost my dog, on the side of the road and I'm cryin over youuuuu. Sing it, the PS3 is in 3rd and will stay there this whole geeeeeen YE HAA. You droped a load in your diapers and now your whining in your pooooooo. YE Haa.

lmao @ the braindead droids who honestly think 360 has no good games in '08 LOL.

Yeah, we all know 360 had the best line-up in videogame history last year in '07, but how does that mean 360's games are going to suck this year? They will still be better than most PS3rd games, I can guarantee you that much. I'm looking forward to quite a few AAA games on 360 this year, certainly more than what I've seen coming on PS3rd.

Haze, Alan Wake, WKS, LBP, KZ2, Fable 2, etc. One of these hyped "omg AAA" titles is going to be the next LO/Lair/AC. So you better get ready and don't forget what happened to you in 2007.

GTA, MGS, GT5 are the big hitters confirmed for 08. Everything else like FF, RE5, and Gears 2 is up in the air. The PS3 has the majority. Unless the mult-plats like GTA or Turok really suck, then for now it has the best line-up.

BTW I suppose NG2 could count? The last game sold even less than DMC/MGS3 I believe....so maybe it was right to leave it out.